Dragon Boat Festival organizers say thanks

By Krista Griffin, Stuart Griffin & Gina Derrickson | Sep 20, 2013

As organizers of the Lewes Dragon Boat Festival Sept. 15, there were some things that we had no influence over, namely the weather and the response of the community. We were blessed with perfect weather and a fantastic turnout.

We would like to thank Mayor Jim Ford, the Lewes City Council, and city staff for working with us throughout our planning process. We worked diligently to create an event that fit nicely with the character of Lewes. The event was intended to be a reflection of our area in every way, both honoring our maritime heritage and helping reconnect us with the salt water we live so close to and sometimes forget to dip our toes in.

We sought support from the region in many ways and we are honored that our community responded so positively. That support took the form of paddler participation, sponsorships, donations, vendors, volunteers and spectators, to name a few. Because of this, we consider our event to be a great success.

In both the hard work of the paddlers and the fantastic community spirit in the park on Sunday, we saw the best of the Delaware Cape Region. People supported the event in every way possible, and brought with them a wonderful spirit of fun, camaraderie, and consideration. We asked the public to help us take care of our beautiful park on festival day and they responded magnificently. We are grateful to all for their consideration.

We are deeply appreciative of the support of our great community and the good spirit that everyone exhibited both during practices and on festival day. It was both humbling and thrilling to be a part of.

We hope to bring the event back to Lewes next year and look forward to continued community support.